Drought conditions have made the last few years tough for Australian wine producers. But while one might have expected the extended hot and dry conditions to be a fillip for the soft drinks sector, figures from Canadean suggest they have made little impact. That said, there are some notable growth areas. Richard Corbett of Canadean assesses current trends.

Growing consumer interest in the health-enhancing properties of exotic fruits has proved a significant boon for the soft drinks industry. Most of these superfruits end up in juice form, writes Shane Starling, providing soft drinks producers with a constant stream of new product opportunities at premium price points.

This week, The Coca-Cola Co. snapped up niche US firm Fuze Beverage. The acquisition signals a realisation from Coca-Cola Co. that it needs to bolster its presence outside the carbonates market in the US. Dean Best reports.

Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) chief executive John Brock has revealed that the “majority” of the company’s planned 3,500 job cuts will be in North America. Brock was speaking as the world’s largest bottler of Coca-Cola Co. products outlined a restructuring programme designed to boost its business in North America and Europe.